


A Feasting Presence

by voleuse



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-08-28
Updated: 2005-08-28
Packaged: 2017-10-04 10:29:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voleuse/pseuds/voleuse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night</em>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Feasting Presence

**Author's Note:**

> Written and set after the first movie, thus probably AU. Title, summary, and quotation taken from Shakespeare's _Romeo and Juliet_.

Elizabeth stands at the edge of the balcony, lets the breeze whip against her face, sharp and sweet.

There's been no word of the _Pearl_ in months, good or bad, and that gnaws at her.

She thinks this might be pining, except she feels cheated, feels something close to angry.

Jack had said he would come back, he said he would return her husband to her.

She's tired of seeing the pity in Estrella's eyes, and the concern in her father's.

And she wishes they had taken her with them.

*

 

_They've just returned from visiting her father at the mansion. He's been feeling tired of late, sometimes short of breath, and she's worried, and a little afraid._

_She clutches Will's hand as they travel home, and once they're inside the threshold, he pulls her into his arms and presses a comforting kiss against her mouth._

_"Well," Jack observes from the parlor, "isn't that a pretty sight."_

_Will cries greeting and strides forward to clasp Jack's hand. Elizabeth rolls her eyes and thinks it's a good thing the servants have already left._

_"Elizabeth," Jack chides, interrupting her thoughts. "No warm welcome for your dear and departed friend Jack?"_

_She raises her eyebrows, sweeps gracefully forward. Curtsies as royally as she can, and smirks._

_Jack bows, grandly, but when his eyes meet hers, there's a spark and a blade._

_Will shifts on his feet, watching them, and finally clears his throat._

_"A drink, Jack?"_

_Jack smiles, but his eyes remain on Elizabeth._

_"That would be a true pleasure."_

*

 

She has supper with her father, whose health has improved in the recent weeks. As always, he complains about the excesses of rest, the troubles of deputizing, and they share smiles.

She's sent home in her father's carriage, and after having a last cup of tea and changing into her dressing gown, she sends Estrella away.

She brushes her hair, the requisite hundred strokes, and stares into the mirror.

She's glad she stayed, she truly is, but she's also tired of being lonely, of waking to the cool pillow on the other side of the bed.

She sets her brush down, and freezes.

The front door is creaking open, and she's alone.

Elizabeth takes a deep breath, opens a drawer and takes out the short blade Will made for her.

She creeps to the door of the bedroom, raises the blade as footsteps approach.

When the door swings open, she lunges, then throws herself back, dropping the blade and landing on the floor with a thump.

Will stares down at her with a confused smile.

He offers her a hand up, and she takes it.

Then she slaps him, hard, across the face.

*

 

_Jack's invitation is an intriguing one, and his smile, temptation incarnate._

_Elizabeth sways against Will's shoulder, and his thumb rubs idly against her wrist. _

_They've both missed the ocean, feeling the waves rock beneath their feet. _

_Acceptance rises, to the tip of Elizabeth's tongue, then she bites it back. _

_"I can't," she says. "My father isn't well. I can't leave."_

_Will's posture curves, ever so slightly, but he nods. "She's right. We can't leave while Governor Swann is ill."_

_But Elizabeth shakes her head, release Will's hand. "Will," she says, "I think you should go."_

_He turns a startled gaze to her, but she knows she's spoken true. _

_Jack, lounging comfortably in an armchair, laughs, because he knows it, too._

_The rest rushes by, Will tossing a few belongings together, kissing her deeply, again and again._

_"I promise I'll return," he whispers into her ear. "Soon."_

_And Jack tips his hat to her. "Ta, love," he says, and she takes that for a promise, too._

*

 

She strikes Will again, for good measure, then he catches her wrist in his hand. His palm is just as callused, but rougher than she remembers.

"Elizabeth," he murmurs, and she closes her eyes for several seconds, because that's the only way she can forestall her tears.

So when he leans in, touches his lips to hers, she doesn't expect it at all.

That single kiss ignites her, and she yanks her hand from his grip, only to throw her arms around his neck, push her body against his.

He groans, slides his hands down her back to clutch her bottom, then up, yanking at her gown impatiently.

She fumbles with the buttons of his shirt, tugs and shoves until his vest and shirt are off, and his trousers are sliding low on his hips.

They stumble back and back to the bed, and she wriggles against the mattress as he shoves her gown up.

She whimpers, because she can't wait anymore, and he bends to kiss her, even as he thrusts, oh-so-slowly, inside.

She moans his name, and he freezes.

She opens her eyes. "Will?"

He's looking at the window, and she twists her head to see.

Jack leans against the frame and grins.

"Please don't stop on my account," he says.

Will gulps audibly, and Elizabeth trails a hand over his collarbone.

She feels wicked. She feels wanton. And she doesn't want him to stop.

"You heard our dear captain," she tells Will, her voice low.

When she looks back at Jack, she's pleased to see he's surprised.

*

 

By the time they've done, Jack's shed his hat and coat and boots, and he's poised at the foot of the bed, eyes avid and bright.

Will's forehead is pressed against Elizabeth's shoulder, and she's feeling not sated, but magnanimous.

Carelessly, she extends a hand to Jack where he sits, and is only a little bemused when he takes it.

"This doesn't seem proper at all," Jack muses, and places careful lips against her palm, then her wrist.

Elizabeth blushes at his touch, stirs against Will's body.

Jack crawls across the mattress until his face hovers above hers.

"And steal immortal blessing from her lips," he intones, "who, even in pure and vestal modesty, still blush."

Will rests his head against Elizabeth's breast, and watches as Jack descends, and kisses one corner of her mouth, then the other.

He lifts his head to smile. "As thinking their own kisses sin," he whispers, and she breaks, drags his head down to hers again.

*

 

Will and Jack touch her, kiss her, caress her until her skin is flushed, and she feels like she might burst from the pleasure.

Jack runs his tongue over the arch of her foot, and sends her a devilish grin.

She rises on her elbows, jostling Will back. She thinks she knows what's coming, and she's gratified at the idea.

Jack pulls a scarf from amongst his pile of clothes, and hands it to Elizabeth.

"Tie him up, love," he murmurs, and Will's helpless when she moves to comply.

*

 

Afterwards, Will dozes, sprawled on their bed. His wrists are still bound, and a light bruise blooms on his shoulder.

She can't remember whether she or Jack did that.

Jack stands by the window, and the breeze whips through his hair. It smells like the sea, and she breathes it deep.

She moves next to him, but doesn't touch him.

"This can't happen again," she says to him.

He tilts his head, lets a speculative eye drift over her naked body. "A shame, that."

"I don't mean--" She breaks off, rolls her eyes. Turns to gaze back at Will.

"Ah," Jack says. He returns his attention to the window, as if he can see beyond the buildings and the trees.

"Yes," she replies.

"Perhaps." He lifts a shoulder, a half-shrug. The corner of his mouth turns up. "Perhaps next time, you'll come along."

"Perhaps," she murmurs, and when she looks at the window, she sees what he sees.

The waves.


End file.
